Coupler and yoke connection



Feb. 18, 1930. Ji F. oQcoN'NoR 1,747,484

COUPLER AND YOKE CONNCTION Filed May 12, 192s Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNrrEDl STA-TES PATENT OFFICE JOHN F. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO W. MINER, INC., OF CHI- y CAGO, ILLINOIS, A' CORPORATION OF DELAWARE A 1 Y COUPLER AND 'Yom-i CONNECTION Application mea May 12, 192s. semi No. 277,270.

rlhis invention relates to improvements in coupler and yoke connections.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient connecting means between 5 a coupler having a shouldered butt end and the yoke member of a railway draft rigging providing for lateral swinging movement of the coupler with respect to the yoke.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a yoke having a head at the front end, defined by top, bottom and side walls, adapted to receive the shouldered butt of the coupler shank therebetween, wherein means is provided for pivotally connecting the coupler shank to the yoke for lateral swinging movement, includin'gretaining blocks having shouldered engagement with the coupler butt member and pins detachably connected to the blocks andhaving pivotal engagement with the bearing means' on the top and bottom walls of the yoke.

Other and further objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing, formingra part of this specification, Figure 1 is a horizontal, longitudinal, sectional view of a portion of the underframe struct-ure of a railway car, at one end thereof, illustrating my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a detailed, perspective view of one of the retaining blocks employed in connection with my improvements. And Figure l is a view similar to Figure 2, illustrating a different embodiment of the invention.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, 10-10 indicate the usual channel-shaped center or draft sills of a railway car underframe, to the inner sides of which are secured front stop lugs 11-11. The striking casting is designated by 12 and has associated therewith the carry iron 13. A wear plate 14 is interposed between the carry iron and the bottom side of the coupler shank.

In carrying out the invention as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, I provide, broadly, a

yoke member A a coupler B a pair of retainlng blocks C; and a pair of locking pins D.

The coupler member B, the inner end portion of which is illustrated in the drawings,

includes the usual shank member 15, pro- 'videdwith a shouldered butt section 16. As

shown, the butt section 16 is of greater height than the shank and has transversely disposed,

tion of which only is illustrated in the drawings, comprises the usual top and bottom arms 19-19 connected by a rear vertical end section, not shown. The arms'19 are connected at their forward ends by vertical side walls 20-20. The forward end portions of` the top and bottom members 19 of the yoke are thickened, as indicated at 21-21, andvform the top and bottom walls of the head member of the yokefwhich 'is adaptedv to receive thek inner end of the shank of the coupler B.

As most clearly illustrated in VFigure 2, the shouldered butt member 16 ofthe coupler shank fits betweenpthe top and bottom walls 21of the yoke and is permitted to have sliding'movement inwardly with respect to the yoke. The top and bottom walls 21 of the yoke are provided with vertically aligned pin-receiving openings 22 which extend entirely through these walls. Forwardly of the pin-receiving openings 22, the'top and bottom walls of the yoke are provided with in- Y Eachblock C is also provided with a vertically` disposed pin-receiving opening 27 L. Y VWhen the parts lare assembled, the shoulderedfportion 17 of thecoupler buttisdis- Y Vposed some distance inwardly ofthe front e end of thehead of the'yoke, and the retaining 'blocks C arejdis'posed onfopposite sides of the shank of the couplerV above `and below'the same in sucha positionthat .the pin-receiving openings thereof register withthe bearing v curved surfaces 18vv of Vthe Vcoupler shank adpockets 23 inthe top and .bottom walls'of yoke., The inner `faces 28 ofthe bearingr blocks C Qare'curved so as toconformwith the jacentftheshoulders 17 ofthe butt'section thereof, Ithe blocks'vthus neatly fitting the coupler, shank-1 The blocks vC VYmeans Aof the pinsD, which Vare seated inthe openings 270i the blocks andhave theirouten endportionsfprotrudingfrom the openings and s eated'in'the bearing ypockets 23, fThe' pins Dia-re of such a diameter as to form bearing or trunnion. members whichI cooperate "l, 'with the curved :frvont'bearing surfacesofthe of thecoupler shank, l *As will' be evident, when the' partsarerasf Upockets-23.1As most clearly. shownfin FigureV 2, the innerends or the pins D present curved faces to conform withithefcurved Surfaces V18 sembled'asillustratedin Figure 2 ,thepins D will'limit thegoutward" movement ofthe re# staining blocksCand the blooks, in turn, will i, limit outwardmovement'ofthe coupler B by engagement-oftheend abutment faoesj of `dieblockskC with the shoulders 17 of the butt lsectionfl of the'coupler'Bg'V Thecoupler is 'thus 1 connected to the yoke'V for swinging Ymovement on the pins 23 and has movement 'z inwardly .of the yoke-1 l In e'onneeting the yoketo the fcouplerbutt.

lthe' inner Vend of the coupler' shankis inserted v through thev open front lendportionof the head oi theyoke andy theijetaining blocksfC i areplacedin position Vabove and below-l` the shankof thefyoke immediatelyVLin-ront ofthe 5 0 shoulders 17 fof the butt section.- The coupler shank, with thelblocks C thusassembled therewith, is moved inwardly of the yoke until the v pin-receiving openings 27 of the blocksC-are .brought into alignmentwith the openingsY 22 lin the top and bottom walls of the yoke.` The retainingpins Dare then inserted through fthe openings 22-into the openings27 ofthe blocks fC; WVhen the pins are seatedy in the j j openings so that the inner ends of -thejsame l; the pins will be so disposed vthat they may be o entered within the bearing pockets 23 yby pullengage the couplershank, the outer ends of ingthefcouplerv'forwa'rdly. When the outer v Y ends ot thepins are seated within the bearing pockets 2.3, Y the 'coupler ,-is mounted for lateral i are anchored to theY yoke lby swiveling movementY with respect to theyoke, and the pins, by engagement with the front vend wallsof the poc1`{ets,1positively limitfthe the outward movement ofthe' latteny i Asu shown, the couplerv shank is provided witl 1 .t he usual coupler key-receiving opening,

but no useisfmade ofthe"same, inY thaka coupler key'is'notv made use of in myiimproved oouplerand yoke connectingmleans. l v .Y When a 4draft'or pullingfaction is applied torthe coupler 2B,fthe r'orce `is'transmitted Y through the'should'ers 17 of the .buttisection of thecoupler vshank to the retaining blocks C which a re .held from outward movement by outward movement 'of the retaining blocks, which in turn, by engagement with the shoulv '70 ders ,of thel buttsection of the coupler, limit Y the pins D.y VVhen a bufling force is applied to the coupler B, the same may move inwardly of thek yoke and,:Y in case the-blocks move therewith'.movement ot' the vpinsD inwardly `f of the yoke Vis aeeommodatediby the connecting sections of the pockets 2 3 and reoesses22.

invention illustratedin AFigure 4, a coupler of the same type as illustratedin Figures 1, v2 -and 3 is employed, the same being. providedy with vertiealjabutment shoulders `17 corre- Y r j spondingtothe shoulders A17 hereinbefore defscribed.

y ",Fheuimp'roved. eonstructioncom- Lprlses a-yoke E,'reta1n1ngbloelks -F andpin's Gr.Y

bottom-walls of the samebeing thiekenedat the forwardend of the yoke, as indicated at 3 0, The retaining pins Cr are of the same design as Vthe pins D,': hereinbefore described,andthe Y top` and bottomwal-ls-of the ryoliefare provided with aligned openingslthrough whichthese pins maybe insertedto assemblethesame with the blocks The blocks'lfare-provided with Referringnext vto the embodiment of the e0 -Thegeneral Vconstruction ,of/thegyoke is sim- Y Ailar to that hereinbefore`desoribed,vthetop and Y 4rearwardly extending arms 32-32 vwhich overhang theshoulderedA butt seotionof the coupler shank; otherwise, theseblocksareof the same'design as -the blocks'JC, hereinbefore described, each' block beingjprovidedwith a pin-receiving opening 33 ,corresponding tothe p11i.-rece1ving op'ening 27 vof the blockC here- Y inbefore described@ f'lheftopy and bottom walls Y the yoke-.are also provided withA interior i pockets 34, whichfare similartoth'epockets 23 Adescribed in connection with the embodimentv of the invention illustrated in Figures and 3, and communicate withthe openings 3l.V y

In order `tjeprovide for rearwardmovementjof the @retaining blocks F, the top and bottom wallsfof the yoke member are recessed, as indicatedfat Y35,. to accommodate; the Yrear- -wardlyfextending'portioni32 of the blocks.

The parts are assembled inthe same man-q ner as described-in Vconnectionwith 'the em-l lbodimentof the inventionillustrated in Fig A lures 1','2 and-3, andwhen'the parts are dis-y -posed inj the position illustrated in Figure 4, i the vouter ends ofthe pins form ytrurmion members which cooperate with the bearing walls ofthe pockets 34 and serve to limit the outward movement of the blocks F, which, in turn, by engagement with the shoulders 32 of the butt end section of the coupler, limit the outward movement of the latter.

'Vhile I have herein shown and described what I consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications which come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

l. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a coupler having the butt end enlarged with respect to the adjacent shank portion, thereby providing transverse abutment walls at the forward end of said enlarged portion; of a yoke member having a swiveled connection with said coupler, said swiveled connection including retaining blocks embracing the coupler shank in front of said enlarged butt portion and having shouldered engage-4 ment with the transverse walls of the coupler butt; and separate detachable means for pivotally connecting each of the blocks to the yoke at a point forwardly of said enlarged butt portion.

2. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a coupler; of a yoke having pin receiving pockets provided with retaining shoulders; and means for swiveling the coupler to the yoke, including retaining blocks having shouldered engagement with the butt of the coupler shank and pins within the pockets detachably connected to the blocks and having pivotal bearing connection with the yoke, said pins being interlocked with the shoulders of said'pockets when the parts are assembled to prevent accidental removal of the same.

3. In a railway draft rigging, the Combination with a yoke having a head at one end, adapted to receive the shouldered butt of a coupler, said head being defined by spaced top, bottom and side walls, said coupler butt fitting between said top and bottom walls; retaining blocks interposed between the coupler shank and said top and bottom walls of the yoke and limiting outward movement of the coupler by engagement with the shoulders of said butt; and removable pins for pivotally connecting said blocks to the top and bottom walls of the yoke, said top and bottom walls being provided with interior bearing pockets and said pins projecting outwardly of the blocks and having their outer ends seated in said bearing pockets.

4. A yoke member for railway draft riggings, adapted to be attached to a coupler,

having the shank thereof provided with a shouldered butt section, said yoke having spaced top and bottom walls at the forward end thereof, adapted to receive the coupler butt therebetween, said top and bottom walls being provided with pin-receiving openings and interior bearing pockets, said pin-receiv ing openings communicating with the bearing pockets; retaining blocks interposed bel Vblocks and coupler to the yoke, said pins being detachably secured to the blocks and having shouldered engagement with the walls of the bearing pockets of the yoke to mount said coupler for swinging movement on the yoke, f

said coupler butt and retaining blocks being movable inwardly of the yoke to permit attachment of the pins to the blocks by inserting the same through the pin-receiving openings of the top and bottom walls of the yoke.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name'this 10th day of May, 1928.

JOHN F. OCONNOR. 

